"There are not many German engineered vehicles like the Volkswagen Passat TDI sedan and wagon. They have best heated seats. The blue and pink diode gauges are a nice added touch to the interior. I wish that VW had this car in a GLX that would offer the automatic Climatronic and the rain sensor, auto dimming interior mirror, pwr. seats and last but not least the pwr. folding mirrors. The B4 passat wagon is hands down the best built and reliable Passat on the market. I would highly recommend this vehicle."

Excellent

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

10/10

Value

10/10

Reliability

10/10

Quality

10/10

Performance

10/10

Styling

10/10

Comfort

9/10

"This car has had a bad rap with sludge issues but that is for the careless owner. I have had mine since new, 120,000 mi, 7 years, and the factory battery is still in it. Superb family car, still very tight after all this time and very safe. The ONLY complaint anyone might have is that the preventitive maintenance at 100k is very expensive, timing belt, water pump etc need to be done and it is VERY important, this takes over 7hrs and costs north of a grand. Small price to pay, this car owes me nothing!"

162K miles and still running strong.

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

8/10

Value

9/10

Reliability

8/10

Quality

8/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

8/10

Comfort

9/10

"I'm a very long term VW fan. My first car was a 1962 Beetle. over the years I've had plenty of cars, but he VWs are still my favorite.
I currently have a 2002 Passat GLX 4Motion Wagon with the 2.6 liter V6. We love this car. It has been very comfortable and quite reliable.
As with all cars, we've had a few maintenance issues that were quickly addressed by the local dealer. Problems to date include: Leaking sun roof; plugged sun roof drains (recall issue); slight slipping of the transmission during acceleration between 35 and 50 mph. That's about it.
One thing to keep in mind regarding service, always use synthetic oil (VW recommends 5W-40).
So, back to the car...
Quiet, comfortable and dependable. We can haul around more stuff than my father-in-law can in his Toureg! Mileage has been pretty good, about 23 mpg on average, peaking at 30+ mpg on the highway.
if you enjoy affordable quality German engineering, consider the Passat."

"Bought a 2002 GLS Wagon at 52K miles. So far I have driven 3K miles and had no major repairs. Driving and handling is superb, however I feel the base model 1.8 liter - 4 cylinder- Turbocharged engine is bit underpowered at 170 HP, especially if you live in hilly areas carrying 3 or more adults plus luggage. This wagon is certainly not a performance car by any means. If given an option, opt for V6 or W8 engines. Also, it jerks quite hard when you shift gear after startup, not while driving though. Gives about 18/24 mpg. Monsoon stereo is very good. Other than that, it has a lot of space, 4 basic electrical outlets, tons of safety features, AC works fine but takes a toll on mpg. A good basic people hauler."

Great Gas Mileage

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

7/10

Value

7/10

Reliability

8/10

Quality

8/10

Performance

8/10

Styling

9/10

Comfort

9/10

"This 4 cylinder turbo engine Passat gives very good gas mileage on freeways. I get closer to 31 mpg on free ways. But during city drive I get around 24 mpg. It's a sturdy vehicle with good controls.
The thing I don't like about this vehicle is the maintenance expense, especially if you take it to VW dealer. In addition, I noticed I had an issue with its moon roof operation which was very difficult to isolate and fix.
Also, this vehicle had too many recalls.
In the end, I would recommend this vehicle for its road comfort, sleek style and sturdiness."